A Missionary's Work: Time And Lovin' It Up

6/26/2017

Hey guys! How's it going over there in the NICE warm weather? (Here it's mean, hot, humid weather, ha.) Ya, earlier today we had a zone activity which was completely outside. I completely understand now why Filipinos love the shade and layer up in the summer (always longs sleeves in the summer), because I turned from really tan like toast to red like an apple, haha! You should see the really white Americans there ha!

It's been a good hardworking week. Our work is, as expected, in rain or blistering shine 😉 . We had some great hard rain and winds the other day that was a great cool-off, though it's sort of hard to share 2 umbrellas to 3 people (we love our worker brother Joshua). We got to help a member move in to the new house they built; like the refrigerator, cabinets, and a bamboo bed frame (Filipinos prove that you can build anything out of bamboo and welded metal). It's been great. The members have been feeding us, which is great because we walk a lot, and when we get home for dinner we just end up doing the needed stuff and going to bed.

Anyway, this week I have been learning to use time better and to truly love and cherish it. They always told me time is sooo fast, so love this moment and I always thought, "uh, I can't wait to be 15 so I can drive" or "I can't wait to get to eat anything I want after wrestling season" (and then I eat like one thing I want after season then continue to do the same, ha). Time is that one thing we can't take back and one of the only things we can truly give God. Everything is a gift to us from God, so we should love and cherish them, then give of our time to the one who has given it all to us, even just enough time to give thanks to him. So I have been looking at things a little differently lately, just a lot more filled with gratitude and things become so much more beautiful. Even hard situations. Actually, one time this week, I felt really sorrowful. One of the families here has had some crazy trials and they have endured well and were on steady ground, but all of a sudden, it all fell through. The feelings were almost unbearable, even though it wasn't even my situation. I doubted, and then a couple little tender mercies happened and I started to really appreciate his blessings for us. He give us hard things so we can become more, even who he wants us to become. He give us so much more good than bad. We just always look a the bad instead of the good. Let's take the time to be grateful and use this gift of our time and give some more time to God.

I love you all!!!
Seeya next time!
Elder Peterson
(Sorry but the pics just aren't working today)

A Missionary's Work: Laughing Is A Life Saver

6/12/2017

Hey ya'll,

It's still hot, humid and rainy here, but all sunshiny and what-not inside, ha! Btw, we like to say something is "ghetto" there in the states, right? Well, I am soo certain that Filipinos were the first ones to invent anything "ghetto". I have seen some crazy invention type deals here and am always mind blown. Like how they eat every part of the chicken. They can get the very extent and use of everything here too. For example, cans, you can make a very annoying cannon thing, or a stove or some kind of flower waterer. Anyway, it's great to see these great inventions (Coach D would love to see these inventions I'm sure, ha).

So this week I leaned something great... how to laugh (either a great starting line or a very sad life). For me, I usually get really mad if I get frustrated and I get frustrated if I can't do something. I have always been told, "you can do anything", so when I want to do something, I try my best to do it. So this week, as we were in a lesson with one of our investigators, I was really frustrated. No one would let me speak, I was shushed, and such, anyways I was really frustrated. Then I thought about one of my heroes in life, Grandpa Alvarez. Whenever we would get into fights (my siblings and I), he would just smile and laugh, ya I kinda felt stupid for fighting over a toy or something, but I learned that when we feel pride rising or anger, we can just laugh at it and look at it as it really is. Something like when we get angry at someone we can look at the more important part and instead of being mad, smile an laugh. It definitely makes life a lot less hard, more enjoyable, and the one dude down the hall will look more like a funny guy than an annoying guy. If we want to let go of hard feelings or hard situations, listen to my new motto (it's adapting too) Stay Pogi, smile on and laugh.

Well, love you all sooo very much and will see ya'll next week ;)

p.s. Coach D, ya I did that workout, haha, just throwin' rocks :)
p.p.s. I did try my best and make mexican rice... failure one, next... ;)

Elder Peterson

A Missionary's work: Somebody To Lean On (name that song ;) )

6/5/17

Accidentally deleted the letter and have no time, but here's some pics.

A Missionary's Work: Fire + Side = Fireside ;)

5/29/2017

Hey out there to everyone! This week has been great. We had transfers and Elder Basas left to Guimba and my new companion is Elder Cataluna. It's his 2nd area and he's awesome! One thing we did before the transfers was a fireside in our branch. It was about missionary work and members and missionary roles. It was successful and greatly uplifting, especially with our guest speakers. I guess I'm getting better with public speaking, that's for sure, ha.

Today we pretty much played zone basketball (all the missionaries in our zone, about 8 missionaries or so), so that was a blast, especially for my companion because he's a little bit area sick (misses his old area). He's truly great though and loves to help people a lot.

I read a great article "How My Mission Taught Me That It's Impossible To Be Too Obedient". I really love this article actually, it reminds you how important it is to love people. To me, the things aren't nearly as important as the people. I'm sure it's the same for most of you, but I also found that sometimes we might not realize it, but we do get caught up in things and money sometimes. It's so much better to love someone and care for that person. That will always travel with us through our lives and after, but the "stuff" won't. I also think we don't fully understand love either. I heard a story about a family who was involved in a DUI accident. Everyone in the family except the dad and the drunk driver died. Now that dad truly knows love because he forgave the drunk driver. Now we need to check ourselves. Do we love people as the dad did? That even if we are wronged, we can forgive and let go and love the other anyway? That dad has set an amazing example for us, but the first to set that kind of example suffered in a garden and died on a cross and lived again for us. He loved us enough to take our sins upon him so that if we follow him, we could obtain his mercy. Now let us follow Jesus Christ's example and truly love our God, and our neighbor, but even more than ourselves.

I love you all...
stay pogi and smile on :)

Elder Peterson

A Missionary's Work: Focus in Service

5/22/2017

Hey guys, it's Elder Peterson again... you're probably bored of me by now, haha.

It's been a good week though, hot, hotter and then rain and hot humid. But it's close to transfer day so my companion or I could get transferred to a new place. Anyway, lately we've been the legit Filipino chefs. Cooking dynamite which is peppers with cheese and meat inside and wrapped in a lumpia wrapper and fried. We also cooked banana que and a range of meats... of course with rice, ha.

So this week I have been learning to "Forget myself and go to work", as Gordon B Hinckley said. Isn't it great when you're involved in a greater work and you use your all, and never even think once selfishly towards yourself, but always outward toward the job? It's not that easy, but when you ever find yourself in a moment as such, you feel sooo good. Like one time, during a service project I was involved in, after about a few hours of straight focused work, I stopped and took a look around and realized the cause we were working toward. It all of the sudden changed from a task to do, to somewhat of a bigger picture and scale. Truly building more than a building, but building the people. There is more of us to find when we serve others because we are more when we serve. Something I started to do is that if I ever feel angry for any reason I do something for someone else. It seems completely impossible to stay angry and do something good at the same time, and your mood changes soo much. Sort of like being angry then hugging someone. Eventually you can't help but smiling. When we are focused in our service we truly do become more and do more. And  so, like the saying earlier "Forget yourself and go to work", I challenge you guys to serve others this week, no matter the situation and truly do so without expectation of anything in return, being focused on them. I know you'll see a different you :)

Love you all!
Sorry there were problems with my pictures so I'll send them next week, but here's some old ones haha!

A Missionary's Work: Mother's Day!

5/15/2017

It's going to be a short letter this week, sorry! Happy Mother's Day!! We are great and especially me, because I got to Skype call my family on their Mother's Day! It was great to see them and check up on how they are doing. Also, thank you for all the mails I get from you. It's great, but sorry about my responding because the time is limited and it's hard to reply to everyone. :) It has been a complete day with caribou racing in the morning, and basketball (ya, I know wrestlers can't play basketball, but it's something besides my regular workout routing ha). Then we had an exciting experience with lighting a gas oven, haha (I don't have any arm hair on my right side now, haha).

Anyway, this week I have started to learn the difference of leading by love and by fear. There is this kid that is next door that is kinda spoiled and rude all the time, but a good kid too. He's always getting into trouble. One thing I noticed is that when his grandpa comes out and chastises him with fear of something, it only takes minutes until he's doing that same thing again. But when I see his older brother come out and speak to him with kind yet firm words, he chooses to stop. Now I am not in the least saying not to discipline, justice must be filled, but our loving example is like a beacon to others. I found the loving example is like a magnet, those who seem lost always make a u-turn and find their way back to that wonderful example. Like Jesus, he is that perfect example for us, perfect, loving example that always invites us back. he is that mercy to the justice, for us. When we fall, he will help us up. When we get lost, he guides us home. He is our loving Savior. Now let's do our part as examples and help others when they fall into bad habits, guide those who feel there is no home to the place they can call home. We are the Savior's hands, now let's go to work and always help those in need by actions and our example.

Mahal Ko po Kayo! Alwad Sikayo (I'm learning Ilikano, ha)

Elder Peterson